Control mechanism



SePt- 14 1948. H. @SHAKESPEARE ET AL 2,449,516

coNToL MEQHANISM Filed Dec. l0, 1945 .l l.. N

Patented Sept. 14, v1948 CONTROL MEoHANIsM Henry G. Shakespeare and William R. Gerry, Kalamazoo, Mich., assignors to Shakespeare Products Company, Kalamazoo, Mich., a corporation of Michigan `Application December 10, 1943, Serial No. 513,800

(Cl. i4-503) 4 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in control mechanisms, having for an object to provide an automatic securing -or locking device which, by reason of its rugged and simple construction and positive character of operation, is especially advantageous and eicient for use in control mechanisms whereby to securely, yet releasably, lock the same in any desired position throughout its range of adjustment.

It is also an object of the invention to provide a device of the stated character embodying but a minimum of operating parts capable of effectual and satisfactory operation over a prolonged period of time and under rigorous conditions without reduction of the eiciency thereof :due to parts wear.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide a locking device operable independently of the control mechanism to positively lock the latter in an adjusted position and moreovery allow even minute adjustment of the control mechanism operating member and instantaneous secure locking of the same in a particularly adjusted position, no matter how minute such adjustment may be.

A further object of the invention is to provide a locking device for the operating member of a control mechanism whereby when such member has been adjusted to a desired position of control, the same will be releasably locked in that exact position of adjustment, thus insuring absolutely eicient responsive operation of the control mechanism equipped apparatus.

Other objects of the invention will be in part ebvious and in part pointed out hereinafter.

In order that the invention and its mode of operation may be readily understood by those skilled in the art to which it appertains, we have in the accompanying drawings and the detailed description based thereupon, set out one embodiment of our invention.

In these drawings:

Figure 1 is a longitudinal section through the improved control mechanism locking device, showing the latch element and the operating member in locking position with respect tothe operating member and guide sleeve.

Figure 2 is a similar though fragmentary view showing the latch element together with the locking member in released or unlocked position.

Figure 3 is an enlarged transverse section taken on the line 3--3 of Figure 1, looking in the direction in which the arrows point.

Figure 4 is an enlarged transversesection taken on the line 4 4 of Figure 1, looking in the direction in which the arrows point.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary detail in perspective of the inner end portion of the locking member which is provided with an opening for receiving the spherical latch element therein; and

Figure 6 is a fragmentary detail in perspective showing the formation of the inner end of the opn erating member, particularly the formation of the inner cam surface and abutment or shoulder thereon.

Having reference to the drawings, in connection with which like characters of reference will designate corresponding parts throughout, the numeral I indicates a guide member or sleeve, preferably of elongated tubular formation, having one end portion thereof externally screw threaded, as at 2, and passed through an instrument or dash board 3 in a substantially horizontal position, as shown. Lock nuts 4 and 5 are engaged with the screw threaded portion 2 of the guide member I in abutting or jamming engagement with adjacent portions of the board 3, a Suitable type of lock washer or the like Ii being interposed between said board 3 and the lock nut 5 for an obvious purpose.

An elongated operating member 1 is snugly and slidably received within the tubular guide member I `from the normally outer end thereof, i. e., that end of said guide member extended through the board 3. One side of the operating member 'I is ilattened substantially throughout its length7 as indicated at 8 and has its normally outer endpor.- tion cut away, as shown in the Figures l, 2 and 6 whereby to provide an angular cam surface 9 and a right angularly formed abutment or shoulder lll therebeyond. The remaining side of the member 'I is transversely curved to substantially correspond with the inner periphery curvature of the tubular guide member I. A suitable type of ilexible connection, such as indicated at II, provided with the usual flexible sheathing or covering ifi is co-axially engaged with the normally outer end of the operating member 'I and as will be understood, extends into operative connection with, the device or apparatus to be actuated or controlled thereby, `as for example, the controls of charge forming devices of automobiles, airplanes, etc.

Longitudinally slidably `received upon the nattened surface B of the operating member l and extending throughout the length of the latter is a bar or strip-like locking member I3, the outer surface of which may be and preferably is trans versely curved or arcuate to substantially correspond with the curvature `of the inner periphery ofthe tubular guide member I after the fashion shown 4in `Figure 4 of the accompanying draw ings. As will be noted upon reference tothe Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings, the normally inner end portion of the locking member I3 extends for a distance beyond the corresponding end of the adjacent operating member 1; also, the normally outer end portion of this locking member spans or bridges the angular cam surface 9 of the operating member 'I and slidably bears upon the ledge portion of such operating member adjacent its abutment or shoulder I 0. That portion of the locking member I3 spanning or bridging the cam surface 9 is formed with a circular opening la loosely receiving a spherical latch element or ball I5 therein, the latter, obviously, normally resting ror bearing upon an adjacent portion of said cam surface@ (see Figures 1, 2 and 3 of the accompanying drawings). Upon outer sliding movement of A`the locking member I3 in amanner to be hereinafter more fully described, it will be understood that since the same bears upon the flattened portion 8 of the operating member I and is conned within the tubular guide member i, its outer extremity will be brought into abutting engagement with the shoulder I of said operating member; hence, the extent of such longitudinal slidin movement will be limited.

A hand engageable knob or like device I is xedly engaged with the normally `inner end portion of the longitudinally movable or shiftable operating member l, as indicated at I1 and, as will be understood upon reference to Figures 1 and 2 of the accompanying drawings, is chambered as at i8 and internally shouldered, as at la. The inner end portionof the locking `member I3 seatingly engaged with the shouldered inner end of a shank 2i] and xedly connected thereto by a rivet or like element 2l; thus, is collectively movable with the latter. In order that the shank 2B and the locking member I3 will be normally urged outwardly with respect to the knob it, a compression spring 22 is received within the chamber i8 of said knob and has its inner extremity bearing upon the adjacent side of the internal shoulder I9. An annularly flanged cap or button-like element 23 is cappingly engaged over the outer end portion of the shank 2B and snugly and slidably received in the outer end portion of the chamber li8 of the knob I6; it being noted such annularly fianged outer end of the element 23 is concentrically arranged with respect to the adjacent annular outer end of the knob it. Because the remaining or outer end of the compression spring 22 bears upon the inner end of the element 23, it will be seen that said element, together with the shank 2li and the locking member i3, will be normally urged to and retained in that position shown in Figure l of the drawing. In such position, it will be also noted that the spherical latch element I will be so engaged upon the angular cam surface 9 as to be in binding `or locking engagement with an adjacent portion of the inner periphery of the tubular guide member I; hence, Ieffecting a positive interlock between said guide member, which is xedly mounted, and the longitudinally adjustable operating member l.

In operation of our improved device, when it is desired to move the operating member 'I to a particularly desired or predetermined adjusted position lwith respect to the fixed tubular guide member I, the operator engages the knob i6 between certain of his fingers and at the same or approximately the same time, engages the button like end piece of the element 23 with a thumb lor another finger so.as to facilitate .ap-

4 plication of longitudinally directed pressure thereto. Thus, said element 23 will be moved into the chamber I8 of the knob I6 and simultaneously, the locking member I3 will be slid longitudinally of the adjacent and supporting operating member 1, moving the spherical latch element I5 onto or into the deeper or lower part of the angular cam surface 3 of said operating member l and consequently, disengaging said latch from the previously engaged portion of the inner periphery of the Xed tubular guide member I. At this time, and with the button-like portion of the element 23 still depressed to the position shown in Figure 2 of the accompanying drawings, push or pull may be imparted to the operating member I slidably received within the xed tubular guide member l via its knob I6. When proper adjustment or positioning of the operating member 'I has thus been effected, the previously applied longitudinally directed pressure upon the element 23 is released, allowing the compression spring I8 to expand and in so doing, longitudinally move the locking ,member I3 4with respect to the operating member 'I whereby to ride the spherical latch element I5 over the angular cam surface 9 toits shallower .portion and into binding or locking contact with the then particularly adjacent inner periphery portion of the xed tubular guide member I. With the operative parts, including the spherical latch element I5, thus positioned, it will .be seen that the adjusted operating member 'I will be instantly and positively locked against further undesirable movement.

We claim:

l. A control mechanism, including an immovable tubular guide member, an operating member slidably received by said guide member having a cam surface formed on the normally inner end portion thereof, a knob engaged With the nor.- mally outer end portion of the operating member having a yco-aXially disposed way therethrough, a locking member mounted for longitudinal sliding movement on said operating member having its normally inner end portion apertured and overlying the cam surface of the operating member, a shank vconnected to-the normally outer end portion of the locking member slidably received in the rco-axially disposed way of said knob, a latch member loosely received in the apertured normally inner end portion of the locking member movable over the cam surface of said operating `member by the locking member towards or away from portions of the inner surface of the vguide member, and means in the knob member engaging said shank for vnormally retaining the saine and the locking member in a predetermined position with respect to the operating member.

2. A control mechanism, including an immovable guide member, an operating member slidably received by said guide member, one Side of said operating member being flattened for a portion of its lengthV and the normally inner end portion thereof having an angular cam surface thereon, a locking member having a. attened surface engaging the flattened surface of the operating member and slidable longitudinally of the same, the normally inner end portion of said locking member being apertured and overlying said angular cam surface of the operating member, a spherical latch element loosely received in the apertured end of said locking member and engaging the angular cam surface of the operating membena knob engaged with the normally outer end of the operating lmember' having a co-axial way therethrough, a shank engaged with the normally outer end of -said locking member and movably received in the co-axial way of said knob, and means engaging portions of said knob and said shank for normally retaining the latter and the locking member in predetermined positions with respect to said knob.

3. A control mechanism, including an elongated tubular guide member, an elongated operating member slidably received within Asaid guide member having a flattened bearing surface formed thereon throughout a portion of its length and a cut-away portion therein longitudinally of and opening onto said flattened bearing surface, the inner side of the cut-away portion being oblique to the longitudinal axis of the operating member, a, locking member longitudinally slidable on the flattened bearing surface of the operating member, latch means engaged by said locking member movable over the oblique inner side of said cutaway portion upon sliding movement of said locking member, and means engaging the locking member for normally retaining the same in a predetermined longitudinally adjusted position with relation to said operating member.

4. A control mechanism, comprising a frame member adapted to be fastened to a support, an operating member shiftable within the frame member and adapted to be connected to a device to be controlled, a handle for the operating member, and means for releasably holding the operating member with respect to the frame member comprising a pair of cam surfaces on the operating member and frame member, and a holding element adapted to be wedged therebetween, the

operating member having operating connections disposed on opposite sides of its cam surface, and means for ycontrolling the operation of the holding element comprising a shiftable control member loosely engaging the holding element and a handle for the control member juxtaposed to the operating member handle, said control member being disposedv in parallel relation with the operatingmember and being disposed in nested and seated relation with the operating member within the peripheral confines of the greater cross-sectional area of the operating member at the holding station.

HENRY G. SHAKESPEARE.

WILLIAM R. GERRY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 432,278 Maschmeyer July 15, 1890 945,301 Boudoux Jan. 4, 1910 1,171,845 Heaslet Feb. 15, 1916 1,438,016 Bourke Dec. 5, 1922 1,472,854 Schneider Nov. 6, 1923 2,114,788 Tibbetts Apr. 19, 1938 2,161,661 Arens l June 6, 1939 2,205,987 McCarthy June 25, 1940 2,271,799 McCarthy Feb. 3, 1942 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 519,118 `Great Britain 1940 

